September 27, 2019 Issue, Page 17 of 26

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yw [serving Hy, Western Oklahoma y Weekend Edition Elk City High School student- athletes warm up on the track on Heroes | Tuesday. Shown here are, from 5 left, Delaney Hometown Heroes Fletcher, Tucker ‘a Galeener, Alyson Albert, Chase Kil- hoffer and Cole Hull. Staff photo le by Don Munsch. Honoring our communities first responders New track installed at Big Elk Stadium By Don Munsch, Editor off work to go to the meet. No athlete likes enduring shin splints. The new track at “Our kids work so hard, and now everybody can come out Big Elk Stadium in Elk City should go a long way toward and watch them,” Peffer said. “We’re going to try to make it alleviating that nuisance. as big as deal as possible. I’ve already talked about getting But every athlete likes performing in front of the home food trucks out here that day. Just make it a big deal. Our crowd. The new track will allow athletes a chance to com- kids finally get to run at home.” pete at home now. No date has been set for a meet yet. The track at Big Elk Stadium was scheduled to be finished In the old days, Big Elk Stadium used to be a venue for one this week. of the biggest meets in the state. At one time, athletes from Lines, numbers and other markings were scheduled to be Texas and Kansas used to do a tuneup here before regional Thank you to the following supporters for making this finished Wednesday, and athletes have started using the track. special possible. Mud Trans, Endurance, Napa of Elk meets in their states, and the Big Elk Stadium event was a Elk City Public Schools contracted with General Sports Sur- City, Napa of Sayre, DJ’s Rentals, Great Plains Optical, faces of Fort Worth, Texas, for the track replacement. large meet, Peffer said. KTS Auto Glass, Elk City Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Peffer said he thinks the old surface had been around Elk City High School track coach Andy Peffer and track Pepper, Sherri Schreck of Western Oklahoma Realty, Ted athletes were excited to see the new surface. since the early 2000s, and over the years, maintenance staff Briscoe of Farmer’s Insurance, Farmer’s Union Coop “It’s been a long time coming,” Peffer said Tuesday at the patched up bad spots. He likes how the track’s red surface Gin, Interbank, Supreme Float, Northfork Electric, First stadium track, shortly before students showed up for a work- enhances the stadium as well. National Bank, Select Energy, Kilhoffer Flooring, Son- out. “It’s soft. It’s built for training. We’ve had a lot of shin ECHS track athletes Cole Hull and Matti Jones like their ic, Thru Tubing Solutions, McAlary ATV, Yes Finance, split problems.” new surface. Terry’s Furniture, Elk City Tag Office, Great Plains He said because of the old track’s condition, athletes did “T think it will give us a better mind-set that we have a bet- Bank, PSO, Cudd Energy, Jan’s Garden, Sayre Tire and many of their workouts on grass. ter track to run on,” Hull said, adding it won’t be as hard on Alignment, Red Rider Services, Copper Cross Boutique, “We're going to get a lot more quality workouts in now,” their legs and that he looks forward to running on it. Naw Naw’s Creations, Tyson Trout Agency, Roger Mills Peffer said. “We'll finally get to host a meet.” Jones likes the new surface because athletes can finally Hospital, First Bank of Erick, Yow Auto Supply, Haines Having those meets at Big Elk Stadiums stands out as the have practice without shin splints, adding that athletes were Wrecker, Pucketts, Great Plains Regional Medical Cen- most exciting element of the track, he said. He said some “basically running on concrete before” and that track meets ter, Tyler Harrison of Western Oklahoma Realty and Ace people have never seen Elk City athletes run, because the can be held at the stadium now. Hardware. meets are in the morning and parents would be forced to take See New track page 2. Elk City FFA selling meats for fundraiser Leadership Elk City Elk City High School FFA students Aiden brings vast knowledge Hopper, Dale An- By Don Munsch, Editor drews and Kasen Mo- Molding people to become Elk City leaders is but one ob- ran hold meats that jective of Leadership Elk City, as the program just gradu- ated its sixth class on Sept. 17. the FFA is selling ina Program graduate Maddi Magers enjoyed learning about fundraiser. Staff photo the city and the five leadership voices, or styles, in the class. by Don Munsch. “That is something I that I learn and I use every single day at home, at work, at the grocery store,” she said about the voices, which are distinct styles and are known as pio- neer, connector, guardian, creative and nurturer. Pioneers are type A task-masters, for example, while a guardian takes a meticulous, bottom line approach to everything, based on Magers’ description. Magers found a lot of personal growth with the leader- ship class. She manages the Verizon store in Elk City, and she got involved in Leadership Elk City because her district manager at work is involved in her chamber of commerce in Childress, Texas, inspiring Magers to become more in- volved in Elk City. Magers heard about the Leadership Elk By Don Munsch, Editor “It’s a very easy fundraiser to sell,” Moran said. City and applied and got accepted. Chicken or beef? The Elk City High School FFA can sat- He said Tuesday that he has sold a little over $1,400 so far, “Tt was the best experience of my life,” she said. isfy cravings for those meat products as well as others. and has made sales to businesses, friends and family and left Magers and 12 other people graduated from the Leader- Students in the FFA program are selling meat as part of an order sheet at the middle school, where his father Richard a fundraiser, with student and FFA member Kasen Moran is principal. ship Elk City Class VI last week. The program has five ob- explaining money being raised pays for such expenses as jectives, according to information supplied by Jim Mason, Some ofthe products are from the Blue & Gold company director of economic and community development for the contests, travel and new equipment. and the others come from a company that has been popular Moran and ECHS FFA teacher Karie Dillinger said the in the last few years, Dillinger said. Prices range from $8 to city. Those objectives are: fundraiser has gone well so far. See Fundraiser page 2. 1. To expand the leadership potential of participants by increasing their knowledge of Elk City and the critical is- sues that face the community and by engaging participants Flu clinic to be conducted in October with present and past community leaders, 2. To identify potential community leaders and provide People wanting to receive a free flu shot may do so at a flu In order to test this capability, the Beckham County Health them opportunities to make a difference in Elk City, clinic in October at the Elk City Convention Center. Department will rely on participation from the public, and 3. To develop an understanding of John Maxwell’s Five Beckham County Health Department, along with the Okla- the flu shots will be offered at no out-of-pocket cost for those Levels of Leadership and his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Lead- homa State Department of Health, will participate in a state who participate. ership. exercise Oct. 9 while offering a flu clinic to the public at the “This is a great opportunity for us to practice our capa- 4. To improve communications between present and fu- convention center, according to a release from the Beckham bilities while offering a service to the public,” Regional Ad- ture leaders, & Greer County Health Department. ministrative Director Cara Gluck said in the release. “Flu 5. To provide a channel for those not presently in leader- “The exercise is designed for county health departments season is here and we encourage everyone over the age of ship roles to gain access to positions of community leader- and the regional medical response system to test their abil- six months to receive a flu shot.” ship. ity to respond and provide mass immunizations in the event Flu shots will be provided while supplies last from 10 a.m. “Class members receive in-depth knowledge on issues of a public health emergency such as an infectious disease to 2 p.m., the release stated. In addition to the exercise, the affecting the community through presentations by current outbreak,” the release stated. See Clinic page 2. ‘See Leadership page 2. Weather Vol. 117, No. 78 Mail delivery View online ‘ INL! MN HMI) * tomorrow / 71 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com